Students spoke their minds Monday on a wall at Ellis Middle School as part of Chemical Health Week.

In its fifth year, the school's WORD (We Oppose and Resist Drugs) group raises awareness of alcohol, tobacco other drug abuse problems and works together to find solutions. Chemical Health Week gives students an opportunity to convey their thoughts.

The sixth, seventh and eighth grade students filled the graffiti wall in the commons with the sentence "My anti-drug is," as a representation of the self-commitment they have made.

The idea for the group first started after a speaker at Ellis spoke of the effect alcohol had in his life.

A questionaire was given at the end of the presentation asking students if they found it necessary for Ellis to have a group against drugs.

"Of the 1,000 or so students here only three or four said no," said April Aase, the advisor for WORD. The group started with 30 to 40 students and has now grown to 200 members.

WORD is funded by a five-year grant awarded to the Drug Free Communities program and by the Parenting Resource Center.

Because of the large number of members the group do fundraisers to supplement the cost of the activities through the year.

"We do two types of activities each month, a fun one and a social/service, community minded activity," Kirsten Lindbloom, advisor of WORD said.

Throughout Chemical Health Week, students will dress up with an anti-drug theme. On Monday, students paid $1 to wear hats for the day and sign the graffiti wall during lunch. Proceeds will be donated back to the school and matched by WORD to purchase a permanent garbage bin for outside the main entrance of the school.

Today is "Team Up Against Drugs" day, when students will wear team jerseys or uniforms of their choice.

Wednesday is "Drugs And I Don't Match Up," students will wear mismatched clothing.

Thursday: "Turn Your Back On drugs," students wear their clothes backward.

Friday: "Wear Red," day to symbolized student's stand against youth chemical use.

Each day teachers will record the number of students who participated and which ever homeroom has the most participants will win a donut and juice party.